IAI Westwind

what is it?

The IAI Westwind is a business jet that was initially designed and produced by Aero Commander as the 1121 Jet Commander. Developed as a jet-powered derivative of the successful preceding Aero Commander 500, the prototype made its maiden flight on 27 January 1963. Powered by a pair of GE CJ610 turbojets, the initial production model of the aircraft received type certification on 4 November 1964 and the first deliveries took place two months later.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 jet engines · 13.7 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 723 km/hcruise speed
• range 4,430 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 10passengers
• size 10.7 tmax take-off weight
• built 442made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 61 years ago, in 1965.
• 🚗Wingspan of 13.7 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 4,430 km: 25× Amsterdam to Brussels.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.6× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1965

introduced

1978

number built

442

role

business jet

makers

Aero Commander

engines

2× Honeywell TFE731-3-1G

crew

2

passengers

10

length

15.9 m

wingspan

13.7 m

height

4.8 m

max take-off weight

10.7 t

top speed

—

cruise speed

723 km/h

range

4,430 km

ceiling

13,725 m

ICAO code

WW24

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.